William grunow



(No Model.)

W. GRUNOW, Jr; GAR STARTER.

Patented Mar. 15,1892.

j j I lllllll n' 1 I WITNESSES: O O INVENTOR L ZfmW/flw& BYE %WL7 I msATTORNEY IVILLIAM GRUNOWV, JR, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CAR-STARTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 470,753, dated March15, 1892. Application filed November 11, 1891- Serial No. 411,557. (Nomodel.)

of New York, county and State of New York,

have invented a new and useful Improvement in Car-Starters, of which thefollowing is -a specification.

This invention relates to car-starters to be used principally onstreet-cars, although it may be used on railway-cars; and it consists ofa driver automatically set in operative position by a forward movementof the car just before stopping the same.

I will describe a car-starter embodying my invention, and then point outthe novel features in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a car-starterembodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a top view thereof. Fig. 3 is a bottomview.

Referring by letter to the drawings, A designates a ratchet-wheelsecured to the axle A at a point between the car-wheels. I have hereshown the ratchet-wheel A as made in two sections for convenience inattaching it to an axle. The wheel A has an annular laterally-extendingflange a on each side, and it also has outwardly-extending lugs on eachside for a purpose hereinafter specified.

B designates a driver-arm adapted to have.

a reciprocating movement longitudinally and also a slight rockingmotion. This driverarm extends loosely through a hole in a hanger B,secured to the bottom B of a car, and its forward end hasforwardly-projecting fingers b resting on the periphery of the flanges aon the wheel A. The arm B carries a dog B adapted to engage at certaintimes with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel A. This dog is shown aspivoted to the arm between the fingers Z2 and resting on a transversepin h or otherwise supported out of contact with the ratchet-teeth whilein its forward position, as shown in Fig. 1. The fingers b are reducedin width toward their forward end, as at b, so that when the driver-armis forced rearward its free end will fall to a lower horizontal planeand allow the dog B to engage with the ratchet-teeth. A driver, hereshown in the form of a coiled spring B surrounds the driver-arm Bbetween a shoulder B on said arm and the bracket B.

O is a movable part consisting of a settingbar having its rear endpivotally connected to the rear end of the driver-arm and supported in alifter or yoke C, swinging on a stud 0, extending from the hanger B, andthe yoke C has an upwardly-extending arm 0 with the upper end of whichthe brake-operating chain c connects.

D is a dog pivoted on the stud c and having its free end normallyresting on a stop d, projecting from the. hanger B. The dog D is adaptedto engage against one of the shoulders d on the bar 0 when said bar israised and the spring 13 is retracted. I preferably make the bar 0 intwo sections (2 e, pivotally connected together at 6 and I provide anadjusting screw 6 which extends through a tapped hole in a forwardprojection of the section 6 and bears against the under side of thesection 6. By means of this screw I can adjust the section a vertically.The section e of the bar 0 is bit urcate, and has an arm extending on'each side of the ratchet-Wheel A. Each arm of the section e has ashoulder f, adapted to engage with one of the pins a on the wheel whenthe lever G is raised.

The operation of the device is as follows:

When operating the brake to stop a car, the

lifter or yoke C is operated to raise the pushbar 0, so that itsshoulders f come in the line of rotation of the pins a. The momentum ofthe car forces the bar 0 and arm B back, retracting or loading thespring, and the dog D engages against one of the shoulders 61, holdingthe parts in this rearward position while the car is at a standstill. Atthis time the dog B is in engagement with one of the teeth of theratchet-wheel A. Then it is desired to start the car, the brake-chain isreleased, allowing the yoke O to fall to its downward position andpermitting the bar 0 to fall out of engagement with the dog D andrelease the tension of the spring 13*, which expands and exerts itspressure against the wheel A, and consequently starting it and the car.

I have described and shown a mechanism so attached to a car as to startit in one direction only; but it is obvious that two of them may beemployed, if desired.

Having described my invention, what I claim is-- 1. In a car-starter,the combination, with a caraxle, of a ratchet-wheel thereon,adriverarmsupported by the car, a dog on said arm adapted to engage with theratchet-wheel, a spring for forcing said arm forward, and mechanismwhereby said spring is retracted by the momentum of the car,substantially as specified.

2. In a car-starter, the combination, with an axle of'a car, of aratchet-wheel on said axle,

a driver-arm supported from the car and constructed to engage at itsforward end with said ratchet-wheel, a spring for forcing said d riverarm forward, means comprising a connection between the ratchet-wheeland said arm for forcing said arm rearward and retracting the structedto engage at its forward portion with the lugs of the ratchet-wheel, alifter for said push-bar operated from the brake-chain,and a pivoted dogfor engaging with said bar when in its rearward position, substantiallyas specified.

5. In a car-starter, the combination,\vith the ratchet-wheel, thedriver-arm, and the driver, of the push-bar pivotally connected to thedrivenarm and consisting of two sections, one adjustable relatively tothe other, substantially as specified.

0. In combination with a rotary part of a car, a driver-arm constructedto operate said rotary part, a setting device between the rotary partand driver-arm, movable into engagement with the rotary part, wherebythe driver-arm is set in operative position by a forward movement of thecar, and mechanism for shifting said setting device into engagement withthe rotary part, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

\VM. GRUNOKV, JR.

O. R. FERGUSON, S. O. EnMoNns.

